Garment stretcher



M y 1947- A. c. McKENZlE ETAL GARMENT STRE'VI'CHER Filed Feb. 26, 1946 Fay'rn fl Harry Jones 32911-1517 Josefl: Jones 5; Z%7A.

Patented May 6, 1947 GARMENT srnn'ronim Alexander 0. McKenzie, Beaverton, Ontario, and Raymond H. Jones and Reginald J. Jones, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application February 26, 1946, Serial No. 650,246 7 Claims. (01. 223- 69.)

1 This invention relates to a garment stretcher comprising body and arm members especially adapted for use with sweaters and the like.

One object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable garment stretcher which can be inexpensively formed from wire.

Another'object of this invention is to provide simplified means for hinging the arm members together.

Another object of this invention is to provide simplified means for supporting the garment stretcher on a peg or line, said means to be also adapted to lock the arm members in expanded or open position.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for adjustably mounting the body members on the arm members.

According to our invention we provide a garment stretcher consisting of body and arm forming portions. The arm forming portions comprise a pair of oppositely extending arms, one of said arms consisting of a transverse arm member and upper and lower arm members, the transverse arm member connecting the upper and lower arm members near their inner ends, and the other of said arms consisting of upper and lower arm members having loops at their inner ends hingedly mounting them on the transverse arm member, stops mounted at the inner end of the first arm adjacent the arm members of the other arm so as to limit the movement of the other arm, and a suspendinghook adapted to support and lock the arms in expanded position comprising a loop slidable along the transverse arm member, and extensions attached to the loop Spaced apart from the transverse arm member and from each other and extending towards the upper arm members, said extensions being adapted to secure the up-- per stop and arm loop together when the suspending-hook is slid up the transverse arm member.

As a body forming portion we provide a pair of body members adjustably supported on lower arm members, the lower arm members having upwardly extending serrated members secured thereto, each of said body members being adjustably supported on a lower arm member by loop portions thereof, one loop passing around the serrated member and lower arm member and being adapted to rest in the serrations and the other loop being open and passing around the lower arm member, the first loop being substantially bent so that when the second loop is disconnected from the lower arm member the body member hangs loosely and so that the second loop 'must'be forced onto the lower arm member.

The novel features of this invention are shown in a preferred embodiment which will hereinafter appear in detail in the description that .follows and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichsimilar reference characters indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the garment stretcher. in expanded or open position showing in dotted lines a sweater applied thereto:

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1; a

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the hinging arrangement of the upper arm members;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of ,a body member;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the suspendinghook'; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation showing a loop of a body member secured on a serrated member.

Referring to the drawings, arm I consists of an upper arm member 2 and a lower arm member 3 which are integral. The arm members are formed at their inner ends into U-shaped stops 4 and 5 which are joined-together by a transverse arm member 6. Transverse arm member 6 and a central bracing member I serve to hold the arm in the desired shape.

Arm 8 consists of integral upper arm member 9 and lower arm member ID. The arm members are formed at their inner ends into loops II and I2 which hingedly mount arm '8 on the transverse arm member B. The loops pass between the arms of the stops '4 and '5 which closely limit the movement of the loops H and I2 along the transverse arm member ii; also when arm 8 is swung about arm I to bring the arms into the fully open position the stop members 4 and 5 contact the arm members .9 and Ill respectively and prevent the arm 8 from being swung past the fully open position.

To retain the arms in the fully open position a suspending-hook I3 is provided. It consists 'of a loop H! which slides along transverse arm member 6 and extensions [5 and it which project from the loop. The longer extension l6 terminates .in a hook I! which can be 'used to support the garment stretcher on a peg, line or the like. When the suspending-hook is slid up transverse arm member '6, the shorter extension lipasses behind arm member 2 and the longer extension 16 passes in front of member 9 "Securing the stop 4 and loop 1 I together and there- 3 Q by locking arms I and 8 in the fully open position.

Fixed on the upper side of lower arm members 3 and I are serrated plates [8 and Ma having indicia representing various garment sizes marked thereon opposite the serrations.

Body members [9 and 20 consist of integral side members 2 I and 22 and a transverse bracing 4 suspending-hook is slid up the transverse arm member.

2. A garment stretcher comprising a pair of oppositely extending arms, one of said arms consisting of a transverse arm member and upper and lower arm members, the transverse arm member connecting the upper and lower arm members near their inner-ends, and the other of' said arms consisting of upper and lower arm members having loops at their inner ends hingedly mounting them on the transverse arm of loops 25. The body members can then be-adjusted by sliding loops 25 along serrated plates l8 and l8a until they rest in the serrations representing the desired-size. The body members can also be slid off plates [8 and l8a onto, lower arm members 3 and I0 and with loops 24 disconnected, swung up across the arm members, which can be disengaged from the suspendinghook and swung together almost to coincidence so that the whole device when folded occupies a very small space.

In use the arms are swung from the closed position into a partially open position and the endsoi the arms are then inserted in a sweater 26 which is pulled over the arm members. The body members are then moved out the required distance apart along the lower arm members, within the sweater, as shown by the indicia on the serrated plate and secured thereto by loops 24 and 25. The arm members are then unfolded and locked in the fully expanded position by the suspending hook, as shown in Figure 1. The garment stretcher with the sweater mounted thereon is then suspended by hook l'l'by apeg, line or the like,

As shown all the device, except the serrated plates l8 and IM is made of heavy wire which is inexpensive and easily formed into the required shapes. Instead of serrated plates 18 and l8a, heavy serrated wires can be employed.

While the application has been described with respect to a particular embodiment it is not to be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and limited solely by the scope of the appended What we claim as our invention is:

1. A garment stretcher comprising a pair of oppositely extending arms, one of said arms consisting of a transverse arm member and u per and lower arm members, the transverse arm member connecting the upper and lower arm members near their inner ends, and the other of said arms consisting of upper and lower arm members having loops at their inner ends hingedly mounting them on the transverse arm member, stops mounted at the inner-end of the first arm adjacent the arm members of the other arm so as to limit the movement of the other arm, and a suspending-hook adapted to support and lock the arms in expanded position comprising a loop slidable along the transverse arm member,

members, said extensions being adapted to secure the upper stop and arm loop together when the member, stops mounted at the inner end of the first arm adjacent the arm members of the other arm so as to limit the movement of the other arm, and .a suspending-hook adapted to support and lock the arms in expanded position comprising a loop slidable along the transverse arm member, and extensions attached to the loop spaced apart from the transverse arm member and from each other and extending towards the upper arm members, said extensions being adapted to secure the upper stop and arm loop together when the suspending-hook is slid up the transverse arm member, one of said extensions being relatively longer and having its free end formed into a hook for supporting the garment stretcher on a peg and the like.

3. A garment stretcher comprising a pair of oppositely extending arms, one of said arms consisting of a transverse arm member and upper and lower arm members, the transverse arm member connecting the upper and lower arm members near their inner ends, and the other of said arms consisting of upper and lower arm members having their innerends formed into loops hingedly mounting them on the transverse arm member, the inner ends of the arm members of the first arm extending beyond the transverse arm member and being bent to 'form stop members containing the arm loops so as to closely limit their movement along the transverse arm member and being adapted to contact the arm membersof the second arm so as to limit the motion of the second arm when it is swung about the first arm, and a suspending-hook adapted to support and lock the arms in expanded position comprising a loop slidable along the transverse arm member, and extensions attached to the loop spaced apart from the transverse arm member and from each other and extending towards the upper arm members, said extensions being adapted to secure the upper stop and arm loop together when the suspendinghook is slid up' the transverse arm memben;

Q 4, A garment stretcher comprising a pair-of oppositely extending arms, one of said arms consistingof a transverse wire arm member and integral upper and; lower wire arm members, the transverse arm member being secured to the 'upper and lower armsnear their inner ends, and the other of said arms consisting of integral upper .and lower wire arm members having their inner limit their motion along and about the transverse member, and a wire suspending-hook adapted to support and loclr the arm in expanded position comprising a loop slidable. alongthe transverse arm member, and extensions attached to the loop spaced apart from the transverse arm member adapted to secure the upper'stop and arm loop together when the suspending-hook is slid up the transverse arm member.

5. A garment stretcher comprising a pair of 0ppositely extending arms, each arm including upper and lower arm members and an upwardly extending serrated member secured to the lower arm members, and a pair of body members, each of said body members being adjustably supported on a lower arm member by loop portions thereof, one loop passing around a serrated member and lower arm member and being adapted to rest in the serrations and the other 1001) being open and being adapted to pass around the lower arm member, the first loop being substantially bent so that when the second loop is disconnected from the lower arm member the body member hangs loosely and so that the second loop when forced onto the lower arm member clamps the first loop in position on the serrated member.

6. A garment stretcher comprising a pair of oppositely extending arms, each arm including an upper and lower arm member, the lower arm member being of Wire, and an upwardly extending serrated plate secured to the lower arm members, and a pair of body members, each of said body members being adjustably supported on a lower arm member by 100p portions thereof, one loop passing around a serrated member and lower arm member and being adapted to rest in the serra- 'tions and the other loop being open and being adapted to pass around the lower arm member, the first loop being substantially bent so that when the second loop is disconnected from the lower arm member the body member hangs loosely and so that the second loop when forced onto the lower arm member clamps the first loop in position on the serrated member.

7. A garment stretcher comprising a pair of oppositely extending arms, each arm includin upper and lower arm members and upwardly extending serrated members secured to the lower arm members, and a pair of wire body members consisting of integral side members joined near their upper ends by a cross member, the upper ends of the side members being formed into loops extending above the cross member, one loop passing around the serrated member and lower arm member and being adapted to rest in the serrations and the other loop being adapted to pass around the lower arm member, the first loop being substantially bent so that when the second loop is disconnected from the lower arm member the body member hangs loosely and so that the second loop when forced onto the lower arm member will clamp the first loop in position on the serrated member.

ALEXANDER C. MCKENZIE. RAYMOND H. JONES. REGINALD J. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 877,226 Timberlake Jan. 21, 1908 1,476,555 Timberlake Dec. 4, 1923 2,097,809 Brock Nov. 2, 1937 2,161,451 Bolek et a1 June 6, 1929 

